Pujols signs apparel deal with Nike worth $3 million – St. Louis Business Journal:

Pujols also has signed deals with tradingf card companyUpper Deck, video game company 2K Interactiv e and sports equipment make r Pro Performance, which has featured New York Yankees shortstop Derekl Jeter in the past. The Pro Performance deal is a seven-figurre deal, and the 2K Interactive deal is belowsevejn figures, a source said. "The opportunitiee are starting to present themselves withcorporate America," said Danny Lozano, Pujols ‘ agent and a principal at , an agencgy that represents about 70 MLB players. "I believe this is due to Albert’w success on the field and how he is offthe field.
" Negotiatingt the deals were Kimberly Crossett, Beverly Hillxs Sports Council executive directodr of marketing; Nate Heisler, the agency’s director of equipment and trading card and Lozano. Although baseball is called thenational pastime, few MLB playere can attract national endorsement deals. Most marketinv deals for MLB playersare regional. In addition, becausse MLB players wear cleats, there are few big-money shoe But, Lozano said, "Nike is the biggest player in the basebalo shoe industry and they have confirmed that this is one of theierbiggest [baseball] contracts." Nike has the optio n to create a signature Albert Pujols shoe and to featurre Pujols in a commercial.
Crossettg said 2K Interactive will featur Pujols on the cover of the videogame "The Bigs" and will feature him in a nationakl commercial. In that spot, Pujols did a voice-ove for a digital image of himself, whicgh is how he appearzs in the game. Pujols also was featured on the coveer ofEA Sports’ MVP Baseball 2004. A commerciall featuring Pujols for the new Pro Performancw endorsement will be shot inthe offseason. Lozan said that Pujols, who led the Cardinals to a Worlxd Series championshiplast year, has turnedf down many more deals because of conflicte with baseball.
Included among the deal s Pujols nixed was a campaign for a majorf sportsdrink company, Lozano said, but he would not name the "They wanted to do all these commercial shootd during the season," Lozano "Albert said, ‘I am not going to do
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